In one of the worst kept recruiting secrets out there, outside linebacker Danny Mattingly has opened up his recruitment, talking openly about the decision for the first time. Notre Dame’s recruiting class is now officially at 21, giving the team some breathing room as it continues to chase some high profile targets still left on their recruiting board.

Mattingly spoke with Rivals.com about his decision to open things back up, a recruitment that’ll now include official visits to Miami, Oregon, UCLA, Washington and Arizona State.

“I don’t have any favorites or anything like that,” Mattingly told Rivals. “Those are the schools I’m looking at and I’m going to finish my trips, review everything and see what I think.”

Mattingly has always been an intriguing athlete, and at 6-foot-5, 225-pounds, he’s got the size to grow into a prototype edge player, or find himself at tight end. Yet after an early commitment to Notre Dame, the Spokane native seemed uncomfortable staying committed to the Irish without taking other official visits.

With Notre Dame in a unique position to be incredibly selective in their current recruiting class, the decision to take visits likely turned that commitment into a situation where both parties started looking around. While Mattingly only addressed the issue recently, it was believed by many that Notre Dame had already moved on, with Jason Sapp of BlueandGold.com noting that the Irish coaching staff hadn’t scheduled any visits with Mattingly during the recent contact period.

Notre Dame feels like it is in very good shape with Al-Quaddin Muhammad, another edge player that could add to a linebacking group that looks tremendous. It also allows the staff to continue to chase elite defenders like Max Redfield and Eddie Vanderdoes.

Mattingly says he’s still considering Notre Dame, but the interest right now doesn’t appear to be mutual.

With Notre Dame just one season into Mike Denbrock’s tenure as offensive coordinator, Brian Kelly didn’t look like he was in the market for a new offensive coordinator. But in Mike Sanford, Kelly (and Denbrock) found a coach worth making room for.

In hiring defensive backs coach Todd Lyght, Brian Kelly decided to bring back to the program one of the most talented players of the Lou Holtz era. While his resume may be short as a coach, one listen to Lyght reveals a man whose DNA is football, with coaching taking root after a world-class career.

Notre Dame’s all-time leading rusher is now in charge of coaching the position. Autry Denson’s return to South Bend comes at the perfect time, with Brian Kelly looking to find the right coach and personality to replace Tony Alford on the coaching staff.

After weeks of speculation, Brian Kelly has announced his coaching staff for the 2015 season. The result is four new assistants, a few new assignments and the homecoming of a handful of former Irish stars.

Well crew, I’ve gotta say… I’m a little underwhelmed by the mailbag question. And in the 150+ comments of people screaming at each other about mostly stupid stuff, I think I speak for everybody when I say:

A position that looked like a huge question mark entering the 2014 season ended the year with an embarrassment of riches. After watching Will Fuller emerge with a record-setting sophomore season, the loss of DaVaris Daniels and departure of TJ Jones didn’t do anything to slow the Irish passing game down.

There might not be a deeper unit on the roster than the offensive line. After a lack of depth made it nearly impossible to practice at full speed heading into the 2012 BCS title game, Notre Dame enters the 2015 season with a two-deep most teams would pay for.

Whether it’s the Siberian Express rolling through most of the country (sorry, guys) or the grand reshuffling taking place on Brian Kelly’s coaching staff, Notre Dame announced a delay in the kickoff of spring practice.

After an incredibly impressive run at the position, Notre Dame enters spring practice with nothing but question marks at tight end. After Brian Kelly watched Kyle Rudolph, Tyler Eifert, Troy Niklas and now Ben Koyack churn through his program, he’ll spend spring trying to figure out what exactly he has at the position.

A few days after safety Avery Sebastian announced his intentions, Notre Dame made the commitment and graduate transfer of the former Cal safety official. Sebastian will enroll in graduate school and join the team in June.

After missing out on a running back in the 2014 recruiting cycle, a once crowded depth chart now only features Tarean Folston and Greg Bryant. Two backs that once worried about having to find snaps will now have all the work they could ever want, with the majority of spring spent doing everything they can to stay healthy.

One of the most impressive statistical seasons in school history was flushed down the toilet when Everett Golson could not stop turning the football over. With fumbles, poor decision-making and some plain bad luck plaguing Golson’s otherwise exceptional season, Brian Kelly chose Malik Zaire to be his starter for the Music City Bowl.